Britain's pensions minister is to meet Cardiff MPs campaigning for former steelworkers' rights.

James Purnell promised to meet a cross-party group of the city's politicians who raised concerns in Parliament yesterday that former ASW workers were still missing out on the financial assistance scheme (FAS).

It has been announced the pot of cash in the scheme - dubbed the 'FA scheme' by disappointed Cardiff steelworkers - was recently increased from £400m to £2bn to increase the age ranges of people entitled to qualify.

But fewer than 40 per cent of South Wales ASW workers benefit and Cardiff North MP Julie Morgan told the Commons yesterday many faced a 'bleak retirement'.

She said: 'I urge the Minister to look sympathetically to extending the scheme to those who have suffered.

'It is ironic that those who campaign the hardest for this protection did not benefit themselves.'